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Bee-eater Merops apiaster [Linnaeus, 1758]
Other Names
Trends & Distribution
Breeding & Survival
Biometrics
Books & Links
Order:
Coraciiformes
Family:
Meropidae
BTO Codes:
MZ , BEEEA
EURING No:
8400
Number in Britain:
38 records/year
Conservation Status:
UK:
Unlisted
European:
3 Concern, most not in Europe; Depleted
Global:
Least Concern
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IBC
Status in UK:
(A) Scarce Visitor, Has Bred
Subspecies:
Monotypic
.
Length:
28 cm
Wingspan:
46 cm
Weight:
M/F: 61 g
Scientific name from:
Gr.: merops =the bee-eater
and L.: apiastra =the bee-eater (from apis =a bee)
World Distribution:
s&c Europe, n Africa, s&c Asia, s Africa, WINTERS: sub-Saharan Africa, w India
Habitat:
Open country, woodland, farmland
Diet:
Flying insects, esp. bees and wasps, these rubbed against perch to discharge sting
TitBit:
Bee-eaters require around 225 bees a day when they are raising their young; they first rub the bees on their perch to remove the sting
Population and Distribution
Population Trend:
No population trend available
Distribution:
New Atlas )
British Population Size:
Passage:
38 individuals
First Record:
1668
First Breeding Record:
Sussex 1955
Habitat Occupancy (in the Breeding Season):
No habitat data from BBS
European Population Size:
Summer:
280 to 600 thousand pairs
Birds in Europe
Listed on the Appendices/Schedules of:
WCA(I), Bern(III), Bonn(II)
Breeding and Survival
Egg Size:
26 x 22 mm
Egg Weight:
6.5 g (of which 6 % is shell)
Number of Nest Records:
0
Clutch Size:
6 - 7 eggs
Incubation:
20 days
by the:
Male + Female
Fledging:
Unavailable
as:
Altricial, naked
First Clutches Laid:
Unavailable
Number of Broods:
1
Number Ringed:
0
Adult Survival:
No data
Juvenile Survival:
No data
Age at First Breeding:
Typical Lifespan:
No data
Maximum Recorded Age:
Too few ringed in Britain, but Germany : 5yr 11m
Biometrics
Ring Size:
Check with Ringing Unit
Wing Length
Adult:
Insufficient Data.
Juvenile:
Insufficient Data.
Male:
Insufficient Data
Female:
Insufficient Data
Weight
Adult:
Insufficient Data.
Juvenile:
Insufficient Data.
Male:
Insufficient Data
Female:
Insufficient Data
Other Names
European Bee-eater
Gaelic:
Welsh:
Gwybedog y Gwenyn
Danish:
Biæder
Dutch:
Bijeneter
Finnish:
Mehiläissyöjä
French:
Guêpier d´Europe
German:
Bienenfresser
Hungarian:
Gyurgyalag
Icelandic:
Býsvelgur
Irish:
Beachadóir Eorpach
Italian:
Gruccione
Norwegian:
Bieter
Polish:
Zolna zielona zwyczajna
Portuguese:
Abelharuco-comum
Spanish:
Abejaruco
Swedish:
Biätare
For More Information...
Books and Monographs:
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See Also:
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